Small-Scale Microclimatic Temperature Variability Shapes Spring Green-Up of Cool- and Warm-Season Turfgrasses

In recent years, the use of warm-season species, which are species requiring less water, has been pursued in continental areas, but their dormancy and spring green-up need to be properly defined. In urban green areas, we find that small-scale microclimatic differences, while less intense than classical urban–rural gradients, still influence vegetation performance and spring green-up. This study examines the impact of microclimatic temperature variation on the spring green-up of different cool-season and warm-season turfgrasses in the continental climate of Madrid, Spain. The evaluation of colour change during the spring green-up process has been conducted using different vegetation indices, and mathematical models for correlating temperature with the indices’ values have been obtained. The results indicate that with average temperatures varying by about 1.3 °C and 0.9 °C in January and February, respectively, there have been marked differences in spring green-up, especially in cool-season turfgrasses, of almost one month. In contrast, differences in warm-season turfgrasses were reduced. Among the four vegetation indices, Canopeo has proved to be the best for detecting the early stages of spring green-up, with R2 values ranging from 0.43 to 0.92. Meanwhile, the tailored greenness index for turfgrass was the most effective for determining the moment at which warm-season grasses achieve the colouration of cool-season grasses, with R2 ranging from 0.79 to 0.85. Finally, the green leaf index was particularly valuable for identifying differences among species and sectors throughout the entire spring green-up process. Models based on this index achieve high R2 values (0.57 to 0.94), but these models predict the moment at which warm-season grasses achieve cool-season grasses’ colouration later than it actually occurs. Understanding how turfgrasses respond to these localised microclimatic conditions is essential for selecting resilient species and improving maintenance strategies in parks, sports areas, and other components of urban green infrastructure

Air temperature · Climate change · Enhanced vegetation index · Normalized Difference Vegetation Index · Turfgrass Adaptation and Management · Urban Green Space and Health · Urban Heat Island Mitigation

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